Lactate is not a dead-end metabolite or a poison, but rather a vital energy source and signaling molecule that is produced and used by tissues throughout the body.

“People have thought that lactate is a dead-end metabolite, that it's a poison. But, why is it always there? Why is the fire department always there at a fire? Is lactate the cause of the problem or is it there to mitigate the problem, just like the fire department?”